What is Love, Anywat
(Part 3- Feelings Admitted)
By Alria
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the FF 9 characters or settings (darny pooh)
Author's Note: I'm a spoiled author, I know. I should feel lucky to have a fair amount of reviewsBut I love them so much! So if you're reading this, please review. Or else I'll cryand you don't want that, trust me. Other than that, I don't have anything much to sayso toodles!
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"In there, you heartless monster. I'm gonna' enjoy the execution tomorrow," the palace guard sneered as he unlocked the barred door to a small cell. He gave Vivi a small shove, and the young man stumbled into the darkness. He was just about to regain his balance when the guard gave him a powerful kick from behind. Vivi flew forwards, barely catching himself before he hit the wet, moldy ground. The cruel guard laughed heartily as the young man crawled into a dark corner.
"That's right, be a good little coward and stay there. If you're really good, maybe the executioner will make it quick," he taunted, and then began to walk away. Vivi listened as his footsteps grew softer and softer, until they finally disappeared altogether.
Try as he might, Vivi couldn't see a single thing in the darkness. Sure, he could have easily made a small globe of light to se by, but after what those guards had done to him, he didn't dare. They had sentenced him to death for using magic before, he didn't want to know what they'd do now.
Vivi sighed. Perhaps it was better this way. If he died tomorrow, he could finally stop running from the pain. The wicked pale man would never find him hereand after tomorrow, it would be too late.
Vivi pulled his legs up against his chest and wrapped his arms around them. It was freezing in the small little cell; not to mention damp and moldy. The young mage wrapped his blue cloak tightly around his body as he sat shivering in the dark. Sohe was alone again. That seemed to be the case now a dayswandering the streets as nothing more then a homeless vagrant. He had been lonely for some long that he had thought that he was completely impartial to anyone else's troubles. The things he had seenVivi closed his eyes shut trying to forget the horrible memories. Surely, after so long, he had been hardenedthe compassion squeezed out of him like a sponge.
But when he had seen Eiko in danger, all of those forgotten emotions had come rushing back to him like a river. He remembered the wonderful times the two had had together before the pale man had taken him awayall the joy and happiness. And when he saw those glistening swords advancing on herhe had been willing to do anything to protect her. Anything.
As Vivi thought of Eiko, a familiar longing desire overwhelmed him. Vivi shook his head to try and rid himself of it, but the feeling just wouldn't go away. It's not that he didn't like ithe actually enjoyed feeling that desire to be with another personbut on a second note it scared him. Human emotions were all so strangeand this one was startlingly strong. Zidane and Dagger had often talked about a feeling called "love"was it possible this was what he was feeling now? LoveZidane had nearly gotten killed for ityet that was what he said had saved him from the Iifa tree. Could an emotion be so strong that it could have lives and destroy them as well? What is love, anyway?
It seemed hard to believeyet as Vivi sat in the darkness thinking of Eiko, he began to see how people could die for love. Why, hadn't he just used magic to save Eiko? If he hadn't helped, he probably would be on his way to another city by nowbut in his heart he knew he was glad he had stayed. Vivi sighed. Even if this wasn't loveit was certainly a wonderful feeling.
"Psst. Vivi. Is that you in there?" whispered a familiar voice from outside the bars. Vivi immediately sat up straight, eyes wide.
"WhoWho is it?" he asked shakily. The mysterious speaker snorted.
"Who else? Eiko!" she said haughtily. Vivi drew in a quick breath. He wasn't sure whether to be happy she was near him, or startled that she knew it was him. How had she figured it out? He didn't look a thing like the little black mage she used to knowNot after what that cloaked man had done to him. Vivi shuddered at the memory. Such painhe couldn't let Eiko fall into those hands. Just knowing who he really was put her in grave dangerhe didn't want that at all. Vivi shook his head. Maybe this really was lovehe had never cared so much for anybody before.
"Well, are you going to just sit there sulking, or welcome me? I had planned on rescuing youbut with an attitude like that, I'm not sure I will," she joked. Eiko pulled a small hair -pin out of her pocket, and slowly fitted it into the keyhole. It only took a few seconds before there was a faint click and the door swung open. But instead of leaving the small cell, Vivi stayed where he was.
"How did you know?" he asked. Eiko stared at Vivi blankly.
"What? How did I know what?" she asked. Vivi stood up off of the damp floor and walked and towards Eiko. His thick black hair fell down his face in clumps as he looked at her with golden eyes.
"How did you know I was Vivi?"
Eiko stared up at the tall young man, green eyes locked with his golden ones.
"Viviyou're my best friend. In fact, you're more then a best friend, at least to me. How could I not know?" she asked. Vivi's heart jumped. More then a best friend? Did that meanwas it possibleshe was in love? At this thought, Vivi couldn't help but smile.
"I should have know you would figure it out," he said. Eiko looked up at him, a concerned look on her face.
"Why didn't you tell me? DoDo you not trust me?" she asked. This statement took him Vivi by surprise. Of course he trusted her! More then anybody else in the world! That's why he hadn't told herhe didn't want the one person he trustedto be hurt.
"Eiko, I trust you. You have to believe me," he said shakily. Eiko sighed and looked down at the dusty ground.
"You do, huh. Then why didn't you tell me?" she asked. Vivi hesitated.
"I didn't tell youI didn't want you to have to go through the pain I did," he said quietly. Eiko's eyes widened.
"What? Someone hurt you!? Just tell me who it was, and, so help me god" Eiko growled. Vivi shook his head.
"Eiko, It's alrightI'm okay now. Everything's fine," he said softly Eiko shook her head.
"No, everything's not fine! I can't seen you in foreverand all you have to say is 'someone hurt me, but everything's fine?' Vivi, you may act sweet sometimes, but you can be soAGGRAVATING!" Eiko cried. She crossed her arms and glared at Vivi, bottom lip jutted out. Oh, he had done it this time. She was not going to forget this; he didn't trust her! And yetas she looked deep into those big, shining eyesEiko felt her heart soften, and despite her "anger", a gentle smile slowly form. She could never stay mad at Vivino matter how hard she tried. Eiko looked up at the black mage, her eyes beginning to water with glistening tears.
"ViviI'm sorry. It's justI've missed you so muchand been away from you so long, I don't know what to say. I swear I've thought of you every day," Tears were streaming down her soft cheek. "Oh, Vivi. While you were away, I realized how much I really lo-" Eiko stopped in mid-word, blushing furiously. "Well, I suppose you wouldn't understand human love that well," she murmured. Vivi looked down at Eiko, his heart dropping like a rock. The sight of glistening tears on her cheekson his accountwas too much to bear. It burned at his soul, and he immediately decided that he never ever wanted to make her cry again. In fact, he never wanted to see her cry on any occasion. And he would do anything in his power to make her happy.
All at once it hit him like a lightning bolt, and the shock of it nearly knocked the breath out of his lungs. Finally, he knew what love was. Love was all the things he had felt for Eiko. The longing to be near herthe need to protect herthe desire to see her happy, and so much more. Now, he finally knewand could truly say he loved her.
Vivi slowly reached over and gently wiped a tear away from her cheek. Eiko, green eyes still watery, looked up at Vivi with a puzzled look. But Vivi only smiled back at her, wiping each tear away.
"You're wrong, Eiko. I do understand human love. And even though I went through agonizing pain when I became a human, it was worth it all ten times over just to feel your cheek. EikoI love you," he said softly, feeling the salty tears building behind his eyes. Eiko stared at Vivi, a broad smile on her face.
"Oh, Vivi! I love you, too!" she cried, and threw herself into the black mage's arms. A warm, blue cloak was soon draped over her shoulders as she buried her face into his strong chest. Slowly, a big hand came down and gently stroked her soft, purple hair. Eiko wrapped her arms tightly around Vivi's waist and sighed. This was the wonderful, sensitive Vivi she remembered. He was really backand she loved him with all her heart.
As the two love birds hugged in front of the dark cell, neither one of them noticed the tall cloaked figure standing in the shadows, his beady eyes watching every move the young black mage made with a devilish sneer on his lips
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*sniff* AWWWWW! I love VikoNeway, I hope you liked this part. Next time, you'll find out how Vivi turned human and all that good jazz. Well, I gotta go. Power to all the reviewers!!! Ta-Ta!